Thursday, January 29, 2009

Quick Takes Friday



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Things have been hopping around here lately, so I apologize for my lack of posting. I've been working a lot, and on my days off I've been busy as well. We threw Manning a quick birthday party this past Sunday, so my mother-in-law could be there to celebrate with us. It went well, I think - just family at our house for a couple of hours, hamburgers and hot dogs, cake and ice cream. Brian bought Bubba his own little cake, and Bubba just poked holes in it with his finger. The same child who eats dryer lint and throws an enormous fit when I take it out of his mouth, the same child who will eat anything that isn't moving and will chase down things that are, that child did not put cake in his mouth. In his ear, yes, and in his hair and all over the rest of him, but very little cake or icing actually made it into his mouth. I was amazed. But it was a nice party and we all had fun, which is what matters.





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The wedding that Bella is going to be in is coming up - Valentine's Day. My own wedding was very informal and low key, so even though I knew some people go all out for their weddings, all the things we have to do have caught me by surprise. There's the bachelorette party (which I really want to attend but dont know if I'll be able to) on Wednesday night, the bridesmaid luncheon on Thursday (which we will not be able to attend - Bella's in school and I will be working), and then a early morning appointment on Friday for a mani and a pedi (for Bella), then off to work with me, then the rehearsal dinner that evening (to which Bubba is not invited - the bride made that very clear, so I have to find someone to watch him). And I found out yesterday that the rehearsal is semi-formal, so I have to find something for Bella and myself to wear to that. And that's not even mentioning the fact that I have no idea what I will wear to the wedding. Thank heavens I still have some money left on the Kohl's gift card. Saturday Bella has a hair appointment in the morning before the wedding. Early. And then I have to try and keep her hair in that pristine condition until the wedding at 2PM. Yikes!


The woman doing hair wants me to put Bella's hair in curlers Friday night since she won't have time to do it Saturday morning. Which is fine, but I don't really know how to do that properly. We've played around with it, but as soon as we took the curlers out her hair fell straight again - not even a wave, much less a curl. Anyone have any suggestions? Know of a helpful website? Because I'm not good at stuff like that.



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Bubba has taken a shine to one of my books, a dover thrift edition of Melville's Bartleby and Benito Cereno. No matter what I do, if he wants to carry that book around, there is no distracting him. I've offered him his own Sandra Boyton books (Moo, Ba, La-la-la - almost as good as the hippo book), which he will refuse. I have yet to find a toy or snack or anything that will distract him when he's in the mood for some Melville. And he goes back to that same book, every time. I have put it in different places on the bookshelf, and he will root around until he finds that same book. Fascinating.





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I was worried about the meeting plan I had concocted for yesterday's scout meeting - I figured the girls would hate it, or they would finish it quickly and then I'd have to try and come up with some busy ideas on the fly, or something. The idea was to teach them about community and what makes up a community, so I made a house (a cardboard box house with pink paper shingles, no less - that idea is courtesy of T With Honey's mom, who is awesome) and then my idea was to pair them up and have them make the rest of the buildings that are in a community using a bunch of boxes I had brought along. And possibly to prove that my instincts are generally completely wrong, they absolutely loved it! I think part of it was because they had free reign, and unlimited access to materials and whatever else they wanted to put on their building, so the sky was the limit. One girl who constantly has a terrible attitude and refuses to participate in pretty much everything was one of the most enthusiastic about the whole thing, and kept calling me over to look at what she had done. She was a different child - kind, polite, she shared materials, she actually worked with her partner.....I was amazed. At the end of the meeting she asked me what my favorite color was, so she could make me a cross out of popsicle sticks. I was at a loss for words - the most I've ever heard this child say to me was, "I'm not coming over there because I don't do circle", and she was so sweet!


Possibly the thing that surprised me the most was that the girls wanted to take the buildings home, something I had not anticipated. Even the bigger girls - the second and third graders - wanted to bring home their boxes, they were actually the first to ask! I had actually brought along a big garbage bag so I could throw away the boxes, and then I found myself in a pickle because there were two girls to each project, and in a lot of instances both girls wanted to bring it home. I solved the dilemna by having one girl take home the finished 'building', and then sending the second girl home with another box and whatever materials she wanted to make her own building at home. Meetings like that one remind me why I do scouts, and of how good the program can be. Over the past couple of days I have actually mulled over doing it again next year, but who knows - ask me again after next week's meeting.


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Bella announced this morning that she loves science and either wants to be a scientist or the president when she grows up. The love of science is new, and I believe could be genuine, for two reaons: 1.) she told me entirely on her own and out of the blue, and 2.) it wasn't bedtime or any other time where she was looking to stall by making conversation. So I am going to do what I can to encourage her. I think it's cool - I loved science as a kid, so I'm actually looking forward to finding activities and other things to support her newfound interest. And it is also remarkable because she rarely expresses a preference for anything. She has never had a favorite toy, and only recently selected a favorite color and cartoon character - she likes Tinkerbell, and that is the first time she has actively sought out anything specific like that. So for her to come out and say that she likes something.....well, that means that she really does like it.

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I'm trying to encourage Bubba to use a sippy cup instead of a bottle for his milk, but he is not having it. He's been drinking out of a sippy cup since he had his first meal - he'll drink water out of a sippy cup all day long, but give him milk in a sippy cup? Forget it. I usually make the effort once a day or so, and he just refuses it. I'm out of ideas. Bella nursed up until she hit a year, and then she went straight to a cup, so the bottle was never an issue. This is new to me, and I'm not quite sure how to handle it. I gave him a cup earlier today, and he sipped it twice, realized what it was and tossed it down onto the floor. Should I adopt the position that he will drink when he is thirsty enough? I need some voices of experience. Help!

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I was talking to my co-worker today and mentioned the fact that Bella has not really been sick lately. I was attributing it to the fact that she eats a cup of mandarin oranges almost every day with her lunch, but I was still amazed. And of course, what happens when I pick her up from school? She has the sniffles and a sore throat. Me and my big mouth.

Happy weekend to all, and if you want to peruse some more quick takes stop by the Converstion Diary.

1 comment:

Laura said...

So...Girl with Bad Attitude...likes to build stuff.
A "hands on" learner?
You may have stumbled into her secret place.
Good for you. Doesn't that feel great?